Skillet Caramel Apple Crisp

Yields: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

Caramel Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed, room temperature
  • 1 cup whipping, heavy cream, room temperature
  • Sea salt flakes, to taste

Filling

  • 1 ¼ kg tart, firm apples, such as Ganny Smith, Jonathan or Honeycrisp (about 6 medium apples)
  • Grated zest of 1 orange
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoons good quality vanilla paste or extract
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ⅛teaspoon ground cloves
  • Pinch of kosher salt

Crisp Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans
  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

Method

Caramel Sauce

  1. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and water in a large saucepan set over a medium–low heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 10–12minutes until it becomes a deep gold colour, but not dark brown. DO NOT STIR at any point. If you need to you can gently swirl the pan to make sure the mixture is melting evenly. When the caramel begins to colour, it will darken quickly so keep a close eye on it
  2. Once it reaches the correct color, quickly, but carefully, remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter cubes and using a wooden spoon gently stir until the butter has melted and is well combined. It will bubble a little and release steam so take care not to burn yourself!
  3. Next, add the cream and again slowly stir, again taking care not to burn yourself from the rising steam
  4. Once well combined, add sea salt flakes to taste (carefully tasting as you go!) and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool completely in a hat-proof container while you prepare the rest of the crisp*

Filling

  1. Heat your oven to 350F degrees and lightly butter/ oil a 9- or 10-inch oven-safe skillet
  2. Peel, core and slice the apples into ½-inch slices
  3. Combine the sliced apples, both zests, both juices, vanilla extract, spices and salt in a large bowl, and stir to combine. Drizzle ½ cup cooled caramel sauce over the top and stir again. Scrape the apples and all their juices into your prepared skillet

Topping

  1. In the same bowl, combine the flour, oats, pecans, sugar and salt. Stir until well combined, then add the butter and mash it into the dry ingredients with your fingers until crumbs form. Pour the crumb topping evenly over the apples
  2. Bake the crisp until the topping is golden and the juices are bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes
  3. Serve warm with more warm caramel sauce and ice cream

*Store any remaining sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. It can be rewarmed for later use in a saucepan over low heat.

No-churn Salted Caramel Bourbon Ice Cream

*Original recipe by Nigella Lawson

Yields 1 litre

Ingredients

  • 1⅓ cups dulce de leche
  • 1¼ cups whipping cream
  • 1 – 2 teaspoons soft sea salt flakes, to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons bourbon
  • pecan nuts (optional) for serving

Method

  1. Before starting make sure that you’ve chilled your bowl, whisks and cream for at least 2 hours in the fridge
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric whisk, whip the cream until it’s at soft peak stage
  3. Add in the dulce de leche, 1 teaspoon of salt and the bourbon. Fold gently together so as not to deflate. Taste and add additional salt to your liking
  4. Once fully combined, decant into plastic tub(s), cover the surface with cling wrap and freeze for 8 hours or overnight
  5. Serve sprinkled with additional toasted chopped pecans, if using

Turtle Brownies

Yields 24

Ingredients

Brownies

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, cubed
  • 6oz semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 3 eggs + 1 yolk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup plain flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1 Tablespoon milk powder
  • 1 cup pecan pieces, toasted
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)

To Finish

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 4oz semi-sweet chocolate
  • ½ teaspoon expresso powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup pecan pieces, toasted
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 1 teaspoon sea-salt flakes

Method

  1. Set your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9” x 9” baking tray with oil/baking parchment leaving an overhang each side
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (or bain-marie), stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from the heat, and allow to cool
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolk and sugar until the mixture is thickened and fluffy, then, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, milk powder and whisk to combine
  4. Add the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg/sugar mixture. Fold together until uniform in color
  5. Fold in the pecan pieces and chocolate chips
  6. Pour your mixture into the prepared tray and gently spread to level the surface. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes, then remove from the oven when baked
  7. Leave to cool on a wire rack for 10 mins, then after this time use a chopstick, or cake dowel, to poke holes over the surface of the brownie, taking care NOT to poke the full way through the brownie layer
  8. Once the surface of the brownie has been poked with holes, pour the caramel sauce over the surface of the brownies and spread with a spatula to ensure the caramel gets to all of the holes
  9. Place in your refrigerator for between 1 hour to allow the caramel to soak the brownie layer and firm up
  10. After this time prepare the frosting. Remove the brownie pan form the fridge and set on a counter ready to be frosted – you’ll need to move quickly
  11. In a wide pan combine the sugar, butter and milk. Heat over a medium heat until melted, stirring to combine, then increase heat to bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly
  12. After the minute, remove the pan from the heat, then quickly but carefully add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly. When then chocolate appears to be nearly fully combined, add in the salt and espresso powder and stir for a few seconds more until fully combined and uniform in color.
  13. Pour the frosting over the caramel surface of the brownie layer.
  14. AA If needed tilt to brownies to ensure full surface coverage
  15. Whilst the frosting is still setting, sprinkle the surface with the pecan pieces and chocolate chips, gently pressing if needed to ensure they stick. Return the brownies to the fridge for at least another hour to allow the frosting to set
  16. After this time, remove from the fridge and give one last drizzle of caramel over the surface and sprinkle with some sea salt flakes to finish
  17. These brownies are exceptionally rich and decadent so keep than in mind when slicing. I usually divide into 12, and then cut in half again to give 24 brownie “bars” in total
  18. Serve and enjoy!

Caramel stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields 12

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup cookie butter spread
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla paste, or extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1Tablesppn milk powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or chocolate chips
  • 12 caramel candies

Method

  1. Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment and set aside until needed
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until creamy
  3. Mix in the egg, followed by the cookie butter spread and continue mixing until fully combined. Add in the vanilla paste (or extract) and again mix to combine fully
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, milk powder, salt and whisk to combine
  5. Gradually add the combined dry ingredients into the sugar/butter mixture. Mix on medium/low speed until fully incorporated
  6. Fold in the chocolate chunks, or chips. Mix until well mixed through the dough (I find here it easier to fold by hand rather than using a spatula or spoon. It just depends on what you’re more comfortable with)
  7. Cover the dough with cling wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour
  8. Near the end of the cookie chilling time, preheat your oven to 325°F
  9. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tbspn apx) shape the dough into 1 inch balls- you should have at least 24 in total
  10. Place a caramel candy between two cookie dough balls and squash the dough together to reshape into a larger cookie dough ball. Place the balls of dough about 3 inches apart on the pre-lined cookie sheet
  11. Bake at 325°F for 18-20minutes. The cookies will spread slightly spread and be domed where the caramel candy is. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on their baking sheets for 5 minutes. Stud with additional chocolate chips if wanted. After that, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely*
  12. Serve and enjoy! Cookies will keep in an air-tight container for up to one week

*The caramel centres will become firmer as they cool. If you want a softer, gooier centre, microwave the cookie for about 15 seconds,

Bourbon Salted Caramel Cured Egg Yolks w/ Pandan Ice Cream

Serves 6

Ingredients

Caramel Sauce

  • 2 cups sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon corn syrup
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons bourbon, divided
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Cured Egg Yolks

  • 6 eggs

Pandan Ice Cream

  • 2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons pandan extract
  • 1 ½ teaspoons honey
  • 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk

Method

Caramel Sauce

  1. Combine sugar, ½ cup of water, and corn syrup in large saucepan and swirl saucepan until sugar is evenly moistened. Cook over high heat until mixture boils, starts to turn yellow in spots, and registers about 320 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes
  2. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, swirling saucepan occasionally, until mixture turns amber and registers 350 to 360 degrees F, 2 to 4 minutes longer
  3. Carefully pour ½ cup bourbon, ⅓ cup water, salt, and vanilla extract into caramel mixture and gently whisk/ stir to incorporate (be extremely careful as the mixture will bubble and steam)
  4. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute longer. Turn off heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons bourbon; stir to combine
  5. Pour the caramel into a loaf pan and let cool completely, 45 minutes to 1 hour; Caramel can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored at room temperature

Cured Egg Yolks

  1. Working with 1 egg at a time, crack eggs, separate yolks from whites, and carefully transfer yolks to pan with fully cooled caramel sauce
  2. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until yolk exteriors are firm and translucent, at least 6 hours or up to 8 hours, using small spoon to gently flip yolks halfway through

Pandan Ice Cream

*Ensure cream, bowl, and beaters have been chilled in your refrigerator for at least 3 hours

  1. In a large bowl, add the whipping cream and whisk to soft peak stage
  2. Gently fold in pandan extract, honey and condensed sweetened milk until fully incorporated. Avoid vigorous folding so as not to deflate the mixture
  3. Pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container, cover the surface with plastic wrap and freeze until fully frozen, for at least 6 hours

To Serve

  1. Place scoop of ice cream into a serving bowl. Using back of small spoon, make small indentation in centre of each scoop. Using small spoon, transfer 1 yolk to each indentation. Drizzle additional caramel over yolks and ice cream as desired
  2. Serve and enjoy!